Planning and Structuring a Critical Essay
1. Engage with the question - Use it to help you to make a plan.
2. Write an introduction - remember that it should be pinned down, to the task and to your text.
3. Recall the evidence that you need in order to write the essay. The best pieces of evidence are usually the most memorable quotations. Where possible you should try to recall more than one quotation for each major point made because it will show the examiner that you have a knowledge of the whole text.
(Please note: you might prefer to do steps 2 and 3 the other way round - it doesn't really matter).
4. Write the essay - remember to construct topic sentences that address the question.
5. Remember to address both parts of the question in every paragraph.
6. Write a conclusion which reflects on your personal response.
Prelim Preparation Task
1. Select one of the Critical Essay Tasks from the list below.
2. Follow each of the steps outlined in the Critical Essay skills videos.
3. Submit your practice introduction and your plan to the relevant discussion thread attached to this page.
4. Get feedback.
5. Use the plan to write a practice essay.
A selection of Critical Essay Questions
Choose a play in which a character has to exist in a hostile environment.
Briefly describe the environment and discuss the extent to which it influences your response to the character’s behaviour and to the outcome of the play.
Choose a novel in which a confrontation between two characters is of central importance in the text.
Explain the circumstances of the confrontation and discuss its importance to your understanding of the novel as a whole.
Choose a novel which explores the cruelty of human nature.
Show how the writer explores this theme and discuss how its exploration enhances your appreciation of the novel as a whole.
Choose a play in which the dramatist creates tension at the beginning or at the end.
Explain how the tension is created and discuss how it contributes to an effective introduction or conclusion to the play.
Choose a novel in which a central character is flawed but remains an admirable figure.
Show how the writer makes you aware of these aspects of personality and discuss how this feature of characterisation enhances your appreciation of the text as a whole.
Choose a play in which a central character experiences not only inner conflict but also conflict with one (or more than one) other character.
Explain the nature of both conflicts and discuss which one you consider to be more important in terms of character development and/or dramatic impact.
Choose a play in which a central character is heroic yet vulnerable.
Show how the dramatist makes you aware of both qualities and discuss how they affect your response to the character’s fate in the play as a whole.
1. Engage with the question - Use it to help you to make a plan.
2. Write an introduction - remember that it should be pinned down, to the task and to your text.
3. Recall the evidence that you need in order to write the essay. The best pieces of evidence are usually the most memorable quotations. Where possible you should try to recall more than one quotation for each major point made because it will show the examiner that you have a knowledge of the whole text.
(Please note: you might prefer to do steps 2 and 3 the other way round - it doesn't really matter).
4. Write the essay - remember to construct topic sentences that address the question.
5. Remember to address both parts of the question in every paragraph.
6. Write a conclusion which reflects on your personal response.
Prelim Preparation Task
1. Select one of the Critical Essay Tasks from the list below.
2. Follow each of the steps outlined in the Critical Essay skills videos.
3. Submit your practice introduction and your plan to the relevant discussion thread attached to this page.
4. Get feedback.
5. Use the plan to write a practice essay.
A selection of Critical Essay Questions
Choose a play in which a character has to exist in a hostile environment.
Briefly describe the environment and discuss the extent to which it influences your
response to the character’s behaviour and to the outcome of the play.
Choose a novel in which a confrontation between two characters is of central
importance in the text.
Explain the circumstances of the confrontation and discuss its importance to your
understanding of the novel as a whole.
Choose a novel which explores the cruelty of human nature.
Show how the writer explores this theme and discuss how its exploration enhances
your appreciation of the novel as a whole.
Choose a play in which the dramatist creates tension at the beginning or at the end.
Explain how the tension is created and discuss how it contributes to an effective
introduction or conclusion to the play.
Choose a novel in which a central character is flawed but remains an admirable figure.
Show how the writer makes you aware of these aspects of personality and discuss how
this feature of characterisation enhances your appreciation of the text as a whole.
Choose a play in which a central character experiences not only inner conflict but also
conflict with one (or more than one) other character.
Explain the nature of both conflicts and discuss which one you consider to be more
important in terms of character development and/or dramatic impact.
Choose a play in which a central character is heroic yet vulnerable.
Show how the dramatist makes you aware of both qualities and discuss how they affect
your response to the character’s fate in the play as a whole.